Critical Incident Reflection Paper

Even after that, though, there were problems with my IV. When I was in the pre-op unit, a new needle had to be put in elsewhere because the first one had infiltrated. Also, every time any medication was bloused into my intravenous, it burned because of the condition of my veins.

After being transferred from the ER to my hospital room, I was also told there were deviations in my pre-admittance EKG(s). Blood work had even been done to see if I had suffered a recent heart attack.

I was also barely urinating by that time and was told that my kidney function was declining. When I did go, my urine was the color of dark coffee, and my urine output had to be measured. Just after that, I was told that my electrolytes were low, as well. Particularly,

That considered, they either had to be wrong, or my potassium dropped suddenly and considerably just after I had been put in my hospital room that night.

It had actually gotten low to the point that I had to receive it intravenously almost the entire time that I was in the hospital, and that was five days. I don't know exactly when it was started, but I do know that I was receiving it the night after my hospital admittance.

The surgeon, Dr. Honesto Poblete, was quite concerned about it. He even thought I should continue receiving it during surgery, but the head anesthesiologist did not agree with that. Still, their initial difference of opinion did not concern me because I had total faith in Dr. Poblete and knew whatever their decision, it would be the right one for me.

While in the hospital, I was under the care of 11 physicians. There were two primary care physicians, two surgeons, an endocrinologist, a gastroenterologist and a group of five cardiologists. There was also an anesthesiology team during the surgery and a consult with a

Then, after I had requested it be re-tested, I was told it was 400 and something. Considering there had been no recent change in IV fluids, food eaten, etc., my blood sugar would not have changed by 100 mgs., or more, in just a few minutes. There had obviously been a mistake made because one of those tests results had to have been wrong.

Whether it was in the 400's, or 500's, though, my having such a high blood sugar was totally unnecessary. I hadn't eaten in days, and the infections I was later found to have could not have been to blame for that high blood sugar, either. Apparently, they were not to blame for any of the high blood sugars that I had while in the hospital then.

Being my symptoms did not worsen after I was hospitalized, it appeared I had the gallbladder and liver infections even before going to the hospital. In fact, my symptoms were very much reduced from the time I went for pre-admittance testing and was admitted.

Besides that, over the course of five days, infection would not have caused just a few sporatic spikes in my blood sugar. It would have caused it to be continuously high, or almost so. However, that I know of, I only had high blood sugar a few times, or so, during that